Donald Edward Ziegler was welcomed back to his heavenly home on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020, as a result of complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. He was 80 years old. Don would have been pleased with the timing, because he loved the Savior and as a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he strived to follow Jesus Christ’s teachings throughout his life. Don was born on December 28, 1939, in Santa Monica, California. As a young man he served as a missionary for the Church in Florida, and he earned a Bachelor of Social Science degree from California Polytechnic State University in 1966. Don later spent many years working his dream job at the Oakland California Temple as a temple engineer, maintaining equipment and fixing anything that needed fixing. Don was married to his lifelong friend, Sharon Lu Beardall, on June 15, 1990, in the Los Angeles California Temple, and they spent nearly thirty years loving and working together, including serving two missions; five years at the Church Office Building as health and wellness missionaries, and eighteen months in the New Mexico Farmington Mission serving in the Kayenta, Arizona Employment Center. As a high councilman for ten years over emergency preparedness, he established a network of over two hundred ham radio operators, which became a life passion. He also served in many other callings for the Church, including stake Sunday school president, genealogy teacher, seminary teacher, and institute teacher.
Don loved his family and is survived by his wife Sharon; his six children with his former spouse, Reta Wardeen “Sunny” Phelps: Steven (Cristiani), Jeffrey, Christy Halloran (Steve Gale), Susannah (Christopher Weber), David (Rochelle), Ryan (Milisa); his four stepchildren by Sharon: Bryan (Cher) Daniels, Hugh (Carol) Daniels, Jennifer (Jim) Chapdelaine, and Sarah (Peter) Asplund; and his ten grandchildren, thirteen step-grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He is also survived by the little brother he adored, Richard Douglas Ziegler. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Merwyn Ziegler and Bernice Tilson Ziegler.
A small graveside service was held at his interment at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East Dimple Dell Rd. (10600 South), Sandy, Utah 84092. Online condolences may be offered to his family at www.larkincares.com
Don, I didn’t know you well because you moved into my mother’s neighborhood long after I had left home. But you always showed kindness to my aging mother with neighborly gestures, such as rolling her garbage can out to the road for collection.
Thank you for your compassion and for being a good neighbor. You will be sorely missed for those beautiful traits.
Loved spending time with Don everytime Sharon and Don came to visit. You will be missed and remembered by all who you touched. Sharon is forever in my prayers and heart. Don is now at rest with his heavenly father and other family.Live forever tell me meet again.
I knew Don in San Luis Obispo. We were in Institute classes together. He was kind to others and liked to serve. I will have all of his loved ones in my prayers.
You played an important role in my teenage years…thank you…I will remember you always.
